This continuing education course is comprised of 10 hours of prerecorded lectures followed by 14 hours of live, interactive remote learning which will be completed by groups meeting at a specific satellite location OR self hosted location. The instructor will be presenting to all satellites from a remote location via Zoom. Participants in this event will meet in person to watch the Zoom presentation in the same location and participate in labs together, with the instructor guiding remotely. It is expected that participants will only register for satellites in which they are within driving distance, and adhere to all state and local COVID guidelines, including wearing a mask at all times during the course.
This course was designed to provide a thorough introduction to female pelvic floor function, dysfunction and treatment interventions. This course is geared to the therapist who wants to synthesize the information and apply it to individual treatment programs for urinary incontinence or the musculoskeletal components of urogynecologic pain syndromes such as chronic pelvic pain (CPP), vulvar pain, and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). This continuing education seminar teaches evaluation and treatment interventions by instructional assessment of the pelvic floor muscles with internal vaginal examination, and SEMG biofeedback assessment (please note that, for the time being, SEMG is being demonstrated in video lectures; for hands-on learning, consider attending Biofeedback for Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction). The information is immediately applicable to clinical practice.
Presentation of evidence-based evaluation and treatment techniques will be emphasized. Outcome measures and quality of life questionnaires will be presented for both urinary incontinence and pain syndromes. Daily lab time allows for supervised instruction of pelvic floor muscle evaluation with external palpation and internal vaginal examination of pelvic floor musculature. For each condition the therapist will learn to: recognize the key signs and symptoms that lead to impairment, functional limitations and disabilities; use an evaluation/outcome tool; and perform a suggested protocol of treatment interventions. Clinical treatment interventions will include therapeutic exercise, external manual therapy, patient related education/behavioral instructions and electrotherapeutic modalities.
Course Curriculum
Hi, I’m Allison Ariail, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, PRPC, BCB-PMD
Allison Ariail, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, BCB-PMD has been a physical therapist since 1999. She graduated with a BS in physical therapy from the University of Florida and earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Boston University in 2007. Also in 2007, Dr. Ariail qualified as a Certified Lymphatic Therapist. She became board certified by the Lymphology Association of North America in 2011, and board certified in Biofeedback Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance in 2012. In 2014, Allison earned her board certification as a Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner.
Allison specializes in treatment of the pelvic ring and back using manual therapy and ultrasound imaging for instruction in a stabilization program. She also specializes in women’s and men’s health including conditions of chronic pelvic pain, bowel and bladder disorders, and coccyx pain. Lastly, Allison has a passion to help oncology patients, particularly gynecological, urological, and head and neck cancer patients.
In 2009, Allison collaborated with the Primal Pictures team for the release of the Pelvic Floor DVD program. Allison publications include: “The Use of Transabdominal Ultrasound Imaging in Retraining the Pelvic-Floor Muscles of a Woman Postpartum.” Physical Therapy. Vol. 88, No. 10, October 2008, pp 1208-1217. (PMID: 18772276), “Beyond the Abstract” for Urotoday.com in October 2008, “Posters to Go” from APTA combined section meeting poster presentation in February 2009and 2013. She co-authored a chapter Healing in Urology: Clinical Guidebook to Herbal and Alternative Therapies.
Allison works in the Denver metro area in her practice, Inspire Physical Therapy and Wellness, where she works in a more holistic setting than traditional therapy clinics. In addition to instructing for Herman and Wallace on pelvic floor related topics, Allison lectures nationally on lymphedema, cancer related changes to the pelvic floor, and the sacroiliac joint. Allison serves as a consultant to medical companies, and physicians.
Outside of work, Allison enjoys cooking, reading, exercising and most importantly of all, being a mom! She lives in the Denver metro area with her family.